Let the wild rumpus start! - Thinking of Maurice Sendak
On May 8, 2012, author, artist, illustrator, and visionary Maurice Sendak died. On that day I wrote some thoughts on his life and work . Now eleven years later I am reposting those words with some further ideas. “Dear Mr. Sendak, How much does it cost to get to where the wild things are? If it is not expensive, my sister and I would like to spend the summer there.” -From a letter sent by an eight year old reader to Maurice Sendak Maurice Sendak Where the Wild Things Are Pen and ink and watercolor on paper 1963 Maurice Sendak was an artist in love with the world and with things that go bump in the night. Sendak looked deeply at the world around him. His vision included the visible nature of our existence and the invisible, but no less real, world of dreams. Sendak's beautifully crafted artworks for his books began with simple pencil sketches that were then enlarged and fleshed out with pen and ink which was then layered with glowing watercolor washes....